Did you know? Stories from long, long ago.

Did you know?

Stories from long, long ago.                                                                                                                       

(from Greek Mythology and later Roman Mythology)

A skull was found in the ground. This skull must have belonged to some sort of creature similar to man, as no current creature existed with a skull like this. It was a skull that had been turned into stone. There was a large hole in the middle of the large skull. That must have been where the eye socket was.                                                       

There was only one socket, so there must have been only one eye.

This creature must have been massive, as the skull was much bigger than any normal human skull, so it was a giant and it must have been such a horrible creature, terrorising villages and humans all around Greece, as the same skull was found in lots of areas close by.  

There must be a hero, who saved everybody from this horrible monster. He must have out witted it, tricked it, as he was clever and the creature wasn’t. He (not a she) must have done a good job, as the creature was not seen any more, anywhere.                     

There also must be a reason why it was a stone skull. Something must have turned it into stone, it must be another horrible creature, that was a ‘normal human’ before she (not a he) was punished and turned into this creature. (And another hero who killed her, with some help)

Who could do such an amazing transformation and given help to these heroes? (and without them, the result would have been the opposite)                                       

The Gods of course! Can’t they do everything when there is no known answer?                 
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The skull, assumed to be of the Cyclops (one killed by Apollo), was an extinct fossilised ancient elephant skull, not dissimilar to modern day elephants, now not found in Greece. (not the only mythical creature to be inspired by the discovery of fossilised bones) The assumed eye socket in the large skull was the nasal passage, where the trunk once extended. It was fossilised, so it was seen as being turned into stone. (need some more info from John about fossils) The creature that turned living things into stone was Medusa, turned into the hideous creature by the Gods, killed by the hero Perseus.   

                                                        

Chris.